867 37.015.31:74]:316.64 Assistant Professor, Gordana VRENCOSKA, MA POLITICAL STATEMENTS IN CONCEPTUAL FASHION: THE VOICE OF NATIONAL SENTIMENTS AS A SELF-REFERENCE IN THE READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTIONS OF ALEXANDER McQUEEN AND HUSSEIN CHALAYAN Abstract This paper explores conceptual approaches to designing and presenting ready-to- wear fashion collections. The research focuses on political and cultural identity statements expressed in the work of contemporary fashion designers Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan. They both use much of their personal histories, cultural identities and political concerns as ɚ self-referent standing point for the conceptual frame of their seasonal fashion collections. The analysis shows that although they use their work to convey political and social messages, a risky and courageous artistic approach for fashion business, their collections (and other fashion projects) remain commercially successful. Keywords: fashion, conceptual fashion, ready-to-wear collection, political statements, national and cultural identity, national sentiments, artistic self- reference. ɉɈɅɂɌɂɑɄɂɌȿ ɋɌАȼɈȼɂ ȼɈ ɄɈɇɐȿɉɌɍАɅɇАɌА ɆɈȾА: ȽɅАɋɈɌ ɇА ɇАɐɂɈɇАɅɇɂɌȿ ɑɍȼɋɌȼА ɄАɄɈ АȼɌɈɊȿɎȿɊȿɇɌɇɈɋɌ ȼɈ ɆɈȾɇɂɌȿ ɄɈɅȿɄɐɂɂɌȿ ɇА АɅȿɄɋАɇȾАɊ ɆȿɄȼɂɇ ɂ ɏɍɋȿɂɇ ɑАɅАЈАɇ Аɩɫɬɪɚɤɬ Оɜɨј ɬɪɭɞ ɝɢ ɢɫɬɪɚɠɭɜɚ ɤɨɧɰɟɩɬɭɚɥɧɢɬɟ ɩɪɢɫɬɚɩɢ ɜɨ ɞɢɡɚјɧɢɪɚњɟɬɨ ɢ ɩɪɟɡɟɧɬɢɪɚњɟɬɨ ɧɚ ɦɨɞɧɢɬɟ ɤɨɥɟɤɰɢɢ ɧɚ ɝɨɬɨɜɚ ɨɛɥɟɤɚ. Иɫɬɪɚɠɭɜɚњɟɬɨ ɫɟ ɮɨɤɭɫɢɪɚ ɧɚ ɫɬɚɜɨɜɢɬɟ ɩɨɜɪɡɚɧɢ ɫɨ ɩɨɥɢɬɢɱɤɢɬɟ ɢ ɤɭɥɬɭɪɧɢɬɟ ɢɞɟɧɬɢɬɟɬɢ, ɢɡɪɚɡɟɧɢ ɜɨ ɞɟɥɚɬɚ ɧɚ ɫɨɜɪɟɦɟɧɢɬɟ ɦɨɞɧɢ ɞɢɡɚјɧɟɪɢ Аɥɟɤɫɚɧɞɚɪ Мɟɤɜɢɧ ɢ Хɭɫɟɢɧ Чɚɥɚјɚɧ. И ɞɜɚјɰɚɬɚ ɝɢ ɭɩɨɬɪɟɛɭɜɚɚɬ ɫɜɨɢɬɟ ɥɢɱɧɢ ɢɫɬɨɪɢɢ, ɤɭɥɬɭɪɧɢ ɢɞɟɧɬɢɬɟɬɢ ɢ ɩɨɥɢɬɢɱɤɢ ɪɚɡɦɢɫɥɭɜɚњɚ ɤɚɤɨ ɚɜɬɨɪɟɮɟɪɟɧɬɧɚ ɩɨјɞɨɜɧɚ ɬɨɱɤɚ ɡɚ ɤɨɧɰɟɩɬɭɚɥɧɚɬɚ ɪɚɦɤɚ ɧɚ ɫɜɨɢɬɟ